Do people not know how to haggle anymore?

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Matt300ZXT

Matt300ZXT

Well-known member
There's a local guy selling his 1995 G&L ASAT Classic with a case. It looks good but he had it at 2k for who knows how long with no takers, so he dropped it to $1750. In the last day or two he's dropped it to $1600 so I decide to message to see how motivated he is. He tells me he's bought and sold a lot of guitars and knows how to price them. I tell him typically G&Ls sell for $900-1200 on Reverb all day, and that's with Reverb fees tacked on so the price has to be a little higher. If he's willing to negotiate I'd be interested, but I can't pay $1600. Then he proceeds to tell me these guitars go for over $2000, so I asked him if they sell for over $2000, why can't you sell yours at $1600? He gave me the ol' thumbs up emoji, then says dude, you never even made an offer. I was prepared to make him an offer, but he doesn't seem too willing to listen to someone with cash in hand. I can't fault the guy, if you believe your guitar is worth that, then by all means ask whatever you want, but you can't tell people the guitars sell for way more and are worth it when yours hasn't moved and you've had to drop the price.
 
Perhaps not.

I don't want to have to talk anyone into selling me something. Ill make an offer of what I'm willing to pay, I don't make a second one. Unless something is a one off custom, there's always another one, so it's not worth the time.

Same with selling. I list at what I want for the item. I don't mind folks making offers but I dont spend much time on back and forth.
 
This is why I very rarely buy off of CL FB Marketplace.

Most of my guitar collection was purchased from pawnshops around the area.

For one, I’m never dealing/negotiating with anyone who thinks they know the “Real” value of an instrument I’m interested in buying.

Secondly, the person I’m negotiating price has no personal investment in the instrument.

I can give all the reasons why I’m offering less than what they’re asking, and they don’t get offended.

In a pawnshop, both buyer and seller want to find that middle ground on price.

If you offer enough cash for the instrument in question, usually you’ll get the price you want.

After all these years, I have it down to a science.

I’ve negotiated a lot of amazing deals over the years.
 
I don't know mate, seems like alot of chitter chatter and you didn't make him an offer in all that. Just make an offer and go from there.

You might have offered something and he just might have agreed, deal done
 
Just send him your offer in the first message, if he declines and doesn’t counter or says that his price is firm - say you’ll pass and move on. Any further back and forth is just wasting your time and his. If it’s still up in another month reach out again and ask again.
 
Eazy-ESP said:
Seems like maybe you also don’t know how to haggle. I would have just made him an offer.
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+1 to this. I hate when people beat around the bush. If you're not going to give me an offer and want me to give you one, I'll usually ignore you and move on. If you're not ready to throw out a number then I'm not going to waste my time with you.
 
Once again, after asking him his level of motivation and he comes off arrogant, I'm not going to make an offer because those people are stuck on their number. If he wants to keep his guitar at an inflated price, he can. If, in contrast, he had replied with what did you have in mind or I can work on the price, I would have moved forward. Most people I talk with about gear are willing to talk and are friendly, if we can't meet at a mutually beneficial number, that's fine, but at least we were both friendly during the conversation.
 
In the old days, people would call or email about the gear advertised and then make an offer. Pretty normal, logical stuff.

In more recent years, I'm getting a lot of 'what's your best price' messages. I can't think of a lamer or dumber negotiation tactic. They don't want to make an offer, so they're essentially asking you to haggle with yourself on their behalf.

I used to be polite about it, but now respond with 'the best price for me is the asking price, the best price for you is not for me to figure out'.

This is not really in response to the OP, just a little rant.
 
ZEN Amps said:
In the old days, people would call or email about the gear advertised and then make an offer. Pretty normal, logical stuff.

In more recent years, I'm getting a lot of 'what's your best price' messages. I can't think of a lamer or dumber negotiation tactic. They don't want to make an offer, so they're essentially asking you to haggle with yourself on their behalf.

I used to be polite about it, but now respond with 'the best price for me is the asking price, the best price for you is not for me to figure out'.

This is not really in response to the OP, just a little rant.
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True that. I understand people want to make deals, so people factor in wiggle rooms in prices. I've got a motorcycle up for sale and I'd much rather people at least say I'll give you X dollars for it or ask if there is room to work on the price or something like that because they feel it may be a little high, like if riding season is over or something...at least show some interest.

I'm not mad at the guy, it's a good looking guitar, but like some people have said, FB Marketplace can be a place where people have a sentimental attachment to the item, hence "this is my favorite amp" or "this guitar plays better than all the rest" or something like that. He probably did me a favor, not quite sure I need another Tele lol
 
if someone has excellent ratings score and seems straight up and they are within driving distance I’ve made cash offers to meet up. Saves shipping and possibly damage and seller can usually offer a better price.
 
Anyone who knows gear - especially something someone really wants and has been looking for - knows what a fair or reasonable price is. Part of negotiation is not to give the seller too much practice saying the word ‘no.’ If I know the item is something I really want / have been looking for and the price is in the reasonable or fair range, I start with a number that lets the seller know I’m a buyer, not a tire kicker.
 
selling is tough right now, I've got a few really nice pieces sitting at very good prices. some guy messaged me the other day and offered me 1/2 of what I 'm asking for a some what rare guitar . I just messaged him back and asked if this was your guitar would you sell it for that little?
crickets
I've learned to become very patient
 
kmanick said:
selling is tough right now, I've got a few really nice pieces sitting at very good prices. some guy messaged me the other day and offered me 1/2 of what I 'm asking for a some what rare guitar . I just messaged him back and asked if this was your guitar would you sell it for that little?
crickets
I've learned to become very patient
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I think it's a tough time for buyers AND sellers. Sometimes sellers still think free gubment money is still flowing like wine and raise prices even though covid stimuli are looooong gone, or that increased wages leads to more expendable money though inflation ruined that, but sometimes buyers just want something for nothing and think they can get a $1000 guitar for $400 cuz they don't understand that stuff has value lol
 
I don’t really like haggling. Maybe its a cultural thing, I don’t know. It generally has the effect of inflating asking prices because of the expectation of someone making a lower offer no matter how fair your price is. If you have been to the middle east or know people who have, you probably have heard that scene in Life of Brian is close to reality.

If I feel a price is fair I’ll just pay it. If it was going to hurt me financially I shouldn’t be buying it anyway. Like if I’m trying to buy a $2000 amp I’m probably not going to offer $1900 just to see if they’ll come down a bit.

Don’t get me wrong, if I think an item is a little high I’ll make an offer of what I think is reasonable. If it’s way high I just won’t even bother.

I hate when people contact me and ask shit like “what’s your best price?” or “what do you really want for it?” though. I’ll usually just repeat the listing price and tell them feel free to make an offer. I try to price things fair but unless I’m motivated to move an item I don’t list it at the lowest part of the range I think it could go for on places like CL or FB Marketplace, because as I said a lot of people have the expectation that you will come down no matter how good a deal you’re already offering.
 
Bardagh said:
I don’t really like haggling. Maybe its a cultural thing, I don’t know. It generally has the effect of inflating asking prices because of the expectation of someone making a lower offer no matter how fair your price is. If you have been to the middle east or know people who have, you probably have heard that scene in Life of Brian is close to reality.

If I feel a price is fair I’ll just pay it. If it was going to hurt me financially I shouldn’t be buying it anyway. Like if I’m trying to buy a $2000 amp I’m probably not going to offer $1900 just to see if they’ll come down a bit.

Don’t get me wrong, if I think an item is a little high I’ll make an offer of what I think is reasonable. If it’s way high I just won’t even bother.

I hate when people contact me and ask shit like “what’s your best price?” or “what do you really want for it?” though. I’ll usually just repeat the listing price and tell them feel free to make an offer. I try to price things fair but unless I’m motivated to move an item I don’t list it at the lowest part of the range I think it could go for on places like CL or FB Marketplace, because as I said a lot of people have the expectation that you will come down no matter how good a deal you’re already offering.
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These are my thoughts exactly. I almost always list things on the low side, and say price is firm. You have to stick to that though, otherwise it's just hot air. If I'm not sure on a fair price, I'll list it as X or best offer. The prospective buyer can make any offer they like and I'll say thanks, will be touch soon. Otherwise you enter a weird, one-person auction that is a real time suck.

@Matt300ZXT I mostly agree with what you've said, although I would say that telling a seller they're wrong about their price and offering 'evidence' is rarely a good strategy, in my experience anyway. I mean even if you're right, which you probably are, they're now on the defensive.

Prideful stubbornness is often their next move, and deal over before it even begins! Sounds like your guy may have been saying 'I'm good, I'll wait for another buyer.'
 
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